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Developing the creative industry

In a recent interview with the local press, Council for Cultural Affairs Chairwoman Tchen Yu-chiou (陳郁秀) talked about the projects the council plans to carry out, especially those related to the creative cultural industry.

Tchen clearly pointed out that developing the creative cultural industry is both a cultural and economic policy -- an indication that the government has grasped the correct idea for promoting the cultural industry. But how to implement the idea relies on what steps are adopted for executing cultural policies. The council named this year the "Creative Industry Year," and has invited government officials and entrepreneurs from the UK, noted for its development of a creative industry, to impart their experience to Taiwan last year.

The council seems to have learned from their experience on how to advance the creative industry, as evidenced by the European trip led by Tchen in mid-February to publicize the nation's creative industry policies. The council will make public measures for nurturing cultural administrators after the delegation returns to Taiwan. Representatives will be chosen by the end of June to receive short-term training overseas. Incentives and encouragement measures for the creative industry will be promulgated by year-end. All the necessary steps appear to have taken shape.

On the surface, the council is only in charge of cultivating cultural talent and boosting the creative industry but we know that things are more complex. The creative industry is different from others. Industrial production in general, including the high-tech industry, can be transplanted from abroad. Attracted by government-offered incentives, foreign companies will come here to set up shop. This is the reason why Taiwan, along with other newly arising industrial countries, has rapidly grown up. An easy way is to open up tax-free industrial zones. Everything will be ready as long as the nation can provide basic-level human resources. High-end talent and creativity can be borrowed from abroad.

The creative industry, on the contrary, comes from people's lives. Its production satisfies the psychological needs of the people before it turns into an industry with economic value. Foreigners cannot help. Only culturally advanced countries can give birth to a creative cultural industry. It is impossible to develop a successful cultural industry in Taiwan within a short time by implementing strong government policies. This is a complex problem involving various aspects.

The way to start resolving the problem is to analyze it. We need to sort out the reasons behind Taiwan's sagging creative industry and the cultural achievements that can be industrialized.

Take for example the film-producing sector, the traditional leader of the creative industry. Why has the sector withered almost to the point of disappearing altogether? Is it due to a lack of capital or good works? Why do the films that win prizes overseas have no market back home? Why are films unpopular with audiences?

As for seeking the industrialization of pure arts, we have to answer some more questions. Which arts in Taiwan have the potential to develop into an industry? How can we turn Taiwan's pure arts into a money-making industry? What is the mechanism for transforming the arts into an industry? What factors are missing in our society that contribute to a dearth of creativity in Taiwan?

The UK and other advanced Western nations have developed a creative industry for 200 years. Their experience can serve as reference for us but we can by no means copy what they have done. Their society and culture have long had the foundations for encouraging and accepting creativity. The creative cultural industry springing up in recent years merely follows the tide of cultural industrialization. Given that the proportions of Taiwanese people's consumption in arts and culture are so low, the market for a cultural industry is limited.

Developing the creative industry is the right way to go. But the problems must be sorted out first and corresponding solutions to each part should be worked out. This way we can expect it to bear fruit. The creative industry is a complex issue, one that cannot be resolved solely by the Council for Cultural Affairs. The government should set up high-level task forces to develop strategies for relevant agencies to implement.

Film and publishing, the main parts of the cultural industry, are outside the jurisdiction of the council. This necessitates the establishment of cross-ministerial organizations. The foundation for developing the creative industry and people's cultural disposition both have a close bearing on education. Since the government has yet to map out any concrete plan, how can any ideal results be achieved by the council's one-sided enthusiasm?

Han Pao-teh is director of the Museum of World Religions.

Translated by Jackie Lin
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